Little League Team 11U Whitewater Country finished in the top four teams of their division, and will move on to tournament play this week. Shown in front, from left, are John Evers (PEM), Baden Fenton (PEM), Blake Walters (SC), Jason Feils (PEM), Caden Nolte (CHAT), Caleb Mueller (L-A) and Brady Koeppel (SC). In back are head coach Chad Nolte, Ryan Kullot (D-E), Kaleb Schweitzer (SC), Gavin Boyum (SC), Connor McGuire (PEM), coach Jeff Mueller and coach Ryan Fenton. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Tuesday, July 21, 2015 10:57 AM

The local Little League team is making quite a mark against its opponents this season. The 11U Whitewater Country team is made up of players from St. Charles, Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Chatfield, Dover-Eyota and Lewiston-Altura schools.

The local Little League team is making quite a mark against its opponents this season. The 11U Whitewater Country team is made up of players from St. Charles, Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Chatfield, Dover-Eyota and Lewiston-Altura schools.

The Twins ended the first half of the season with a winning week, a giving week, and an emotional rollercoaster ride for All-Star Brian Dozier. They won six of their last seven games, beating the Tigers, their division rivals three out of four games, and went to the break with a 49-40 overall record – second best in the American League, behind only division rival Kansas City Royals.

One of the nicest events that happens every year during Twins’ Hope Week is hosted by first baseman Joe Mauer. It is called Picnic in the Park, but is actually a pizza party that Joe throws for the kids from Gillette Children’s Hospital. It is held in the Legends Club at Target Field. Joe has a close relationship with the hospital: His wife worked there as a nurse before they had kids of their own. Joe has made many quiet, unpublicized visits to Gillette over the years, and does many other private and personal things for both the hospital and the children.

Chatfield’s Aaron Paulson pitched the entire seven innings against the Central Falcons, giving up eight hits, three walks, seven runs and striking out two. Only two of the seven runs were earned as the Chatfield defense committed six errors. Chatfield lost the contest, 7-5, in Preston last Wednesday, July 1.

One of the strongest pillars of the Twins organization is almost unknown to the general public. He is known, however, to thousands of folks who, since 1985, have purchased season tickets or have been group leaders for their companies or organizations and have planned group outings to watch the Twins play ball. Call him on his phone, and you will hear a magnificent set of pipes, with a warm, friendly voice answering: “Scott O’Connell here!”

Trevor Plouffe has developed into a solid major league third baseman. Trevor was drafted in 2004 after an All-American high school career, chosen in the first round (20th overall) by the Twins as a shortstop. Through the years as he learned his craft in the minors, he was occasionally called up to the Twins when someone was injured. But he would bounce around, playing every position — from short to third, second, first, and even a stint in the outfield.

The Chatfield Gopher softball team finished the season with a 19-6 record, 14-4 in the Three Rivers-West, including a first place finish. The team ended the regular season at 16-4, and went 3-2 in the Class 1-A Section and sub-section tournaments.

The first goal at the Minnesota State Track Meet is to make the finals. You make the finals and you’re assured a spot on the podium (a medal for placing first through ninth), as long as you finish the race.

CHS senior Maddy Kammer won the 200 meter dash (:25.84) at the recently held Section 1A track meet, took second in the 400 meter dash (:59.14) and anchored the winning 4x100 (:49.88) relay team, to qualify for the state track meet in three events. Junior Autum Erickson will be participating in two events at the state meet, the 400 relay (running second) and the 100 meter dash, where she finished second, with a time of :12.68. The other members of that gold medal relay team are sophomore Mariah Bell (lead off) and junior Danielle Kramer (third leg).

The Chatfield Gopher softball team won the 1A East Sub-section tournament with a 6-5 win over Wabasha-Kellogg, but then suffered a pair of one run losses in the 1A Section tournament to Hayfield, 5-4 and Fillmore Central/Lanesboro, 1-0, in 11 innings.

In the past week, or so, the Chatfield Gopher baseball team lost a pair of games to Fillmore Central/Lanesboro, 4-2 and 3-0, ending their 2015 season with a record of 14-8. Sandwiched in between those two losses to the Falcons was a win over Wabasha-Kellogg (6-3).